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Tyler Hunnex - I started/founded/began Let's Go Birds in September of 2007 after feeling like my favorite Junior Hockey team needed more discussion and analysis. I'm statistically minded, forever frustrated by the Tbirds and my all-time favorite player was #10. I think I'm funny and my writing would probably disagree. Follow me on Twitter @TylerHunnex.

Jon Whiting - Jon joined the Let's Go Birds team in the summer of 2013. His passion for the Thunderbirds is as big as any fan I've ever met. His two kids are named after former Tbirds and his favorite all-time players were Patrick Marleau and Olaf "Ole" Kjenstad, who he swears is the best pure scoring Tbird ever.

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1.06.2010

Trade Deadline stuff...

Typically trades happen in the days leading up to the deadline so don't expect Seattle to just wait until Sunday afternoon to pull the trigger on some deals.

I'm not sure I really have a method of format for this thing so let's just roll it out.

I don't think Seattle will trade a defenseman, I will just say that off the bat. There are really only 6 guys playing defense right now with Muth a healthy scratch on most nights. If they trade a defenseman I would half expect a defenseman to come back in return.

Maybe we'll go by age here.

I know there are some that are saying they think Schappert and Rai could/should be traded because they are good players (true statement) but I just don't think you are going to get much back for either of them. Trading top notch 20 year old players in this league is really tough. I believe someone in the barrage of comments pointed out that most of the top teams in the league are pretty well set with their O/A players. It wouldn't shock me to see Rai traded because we know he is a top flight player and there might be a team out there looking to improve their O/A situation by getting him and sending an O/A player back to Seattle plus something else.

My gut prediction... Rai and Schappert stay along with Nielsen.

Let's look at the 19's.

Kyle Jahraus... isn't going anywhere.

Stefan Warg... I really doubt that Warg is going anywhere. He has had an up an down season but Import players are also pretty hard to move and for that reason alone I doubt he goes anywhere. Also, I have heard it rumored that should be be back next season he might be your next captain. Plus... the defense comment from above obviously applies to him.

Brenden Dillon... defense comment also applies. I really doubt he will be traded but it wouldn't shock me either. With just 4 players currently in the 1990 year on the roster, Dillon could be a strong candidate to return next year as a 20 year old.

Sena Acolatse... I would be a little bit sad to see him go, but I personally think there is a strong chance you might see him traded this week. He has the highest trade value in this group of 19's and probably can get you the highest return on a trade. If I were Russ... I would be on the phone to Saskatoon asking them about their 15th ranked PP and selling them on the fact that Sena and his 9 PP goals would look really good at the top of their PP unit. With Saskatoon looking to make a serious run at a league title, Acolatse might be on of the final pieces to their puzzle. That is a trade that makes a lot of sense to me.

Now the 18's.

Brenden Silvester... Maybe. I wouldn't be shocked to see him moved but I really doubt it. He isn't going to have a ton of value because he has been hurt most of the season and I think his best hockey is still yet to be played.

Charles Wells... I could definitely see Wells being traded. Not because he is a bad player or because I want to see him gone, simply because he has solid trade value. I will link him closely with Jon Parker because I really feel like one of these guys is going to be moved. We have 5 players in the 1991 class on the roster and 3 of them are forwards. From a roster construction point of view it would make sense to move one of them. Wells might be able to get you some pretty good value in return. He has big time speed and he is an absolute beast on the PK. This would be a trade you make because Wells has value, not because you don't like him as a player.

Jon Parker... see above. One of these forwards probably needs to be traded to set up the roster better for the future. Parker is a pretty different player from Wells but it wouldn't surprise me to see him traded for the same reason. Despite the 13 game scoring drought, Parker has some scoring ability for a team looking to add some punch at the deadline. Surround Parker with a couple of first class playmakers and he could be lethal.

Scott Ramsay and Erik Bonsor... I doubt either of these guys will be moved. The defense comment from above applies to them and I would assume they stay based on the fact that they must have been acquired for a reason earlier in the season. I really like Ramsay as a player. I love his toughness and I think he can be a pretty solid stay at home guy for the next couple of years. I am less sure on Bonsor but I'm not really "down" on him either. I guess I'm still somewhat neutral on him and I would really like to see more before I form a solid opinion.

Now the 17's and 16's.

This is getting quite a bit easier here. I really don't see them moving any 17 year olds. I suppose it is possible that a guy like Lockhart is moved but I just don't know how much is accomplished by doing that. If a 17 year old player is moved here at the deadline I would have to wonder if there were problems with the player beyond what we see on the ice.

Same goes for the 16's... I just don't see Seattle dealing anything in the 1993 year unless there is something going on that we don't know about.

So that's it... Might be 2 or 3 players on the move for Seattle or there could be zero. I've heard it mentioned already that the trade market will probably hinge on what Regina decided to do with Eberle and Teubert. If Regina decides to keep those two guys and make a run at the playoffs, it will probably open the market up quite a bit for some other players to have higher value... and thus be traded.